Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-05-30

I country anu LfElE MONIES anu butiE
feliowmen. They could do no more,
and they could do no less, and de-
serve to be called men. Their noble
/ example has been followed by other
nations and By other people many
/ times during the twenty-three centuries
that have elapsed. The consequences
! of the defeat and reeoi of the Persians
at Marathon and Plataea before the
| heroic aud patriotic defenders of Greece
were of incalculable benefit TO Europe
| The civilization of Europe, then in it's
infancy, was saved. Freedom of
thought and action travelled westward
to Rome, to England and across the
Atlantic to the new world, where in
new soil, unfetteredand untrammlepledi it
speedily yielded bountiful harvest of
blessings to all mankind These grand
victories were achieved by the bravery
and courage of a people VINO believed
and practiced the theory of self-2oyern-
ment--in other words Democracy,
where all had an equal voice in the
management of affairs of state, and
Republican where all were represented
by trusted agents chosen by the whole
people. r8
Under vastly more favorable circum-
stances the same form of government
has been attempted in the new world
and conspicuously in our own country
founded upon liberty and equality.
Prosperity unequalled in the history of
the world was the grand result. The
republic grew in wealth, population and
intelligence. l3s commerce extended
around the world. Every sea was
whitened by the sails of her ships
Every man being free to act for him
self engaged ia acquiring wealth and
the comforts aud luxuFies of life and in
developing himself and thus in develop
| ing the whole nation.
This freedom soon developed the de-
termination TO erect permanent gov
eminent of The people, for the people
and by the people. 1t succeeded in the
war for Independence and again pros
perity unparalleled followed.
In the long interval of peace that
succeeded, business of every kind was
vigorously pushed, and SO great and
universal became the desire to accumu-
late wealth that the enemies of the
theory of self-government boldly de-
clared and many OF the wisest philan-
thropists began to fear that the greed
Of gain had so firmly fixed itself upon
the people that the love of country had
| lost its influence upon the citizen, that
bravery was a thing Of the past; that
| seryile submission would be chosen
rather than loss of prosperity. 1t was
constantly said by the monarchist that
| the citizen engaged in trade, manufac-
| ture or agriculture. would endure any
humiliation, any disgrace before engag-
ing in any war where, of necessity his
interests must suffer; that there was no
nobility and no war spirit. All was
sordid and selfish.
But when the oft threatened attempt
was made in real earnest to destroy this
government OF the people, this sacred
heritage left us by our fathers, to set at
defiance its laws and to pull down and
| trample IN the dust its glorious flag,
| then did the sons of freedom arise in
their might and shake off this apparent
lethargy and voluntarily rushed to the
defense of their country and its iustitu-
tons. The smoke and carnage OF battle.
the roar Of artillery, the rattle of mus
kerry, the groans of bleeding and dying
comrades had no terrors that could awe
the freeman. This country was worth
| saving. and it At once became the bust
ness of these money scekers, these
trades-people, these plow-boys and cow
boys. these mud sills" Gas the enemies
of freedom delighted to call them) to
| save 1t.
| Then the men whose graves we dec
| crate to-day with flowers, tore them
| selves away from home and friends,
| from fathers and mothers, from wives
| and children andsisters and sweethearts.
They laid down the implements of in
| dustry and took into their hands the
weapons of war They joined their
comrades, ten hundred thousand strong,
who came up from the valleys and
down from the hills, away from the
green pastures and from beside the still
waters, out from the cities and villages,
from everywhere in the North, moved
with determination in eye and step,
'ishouting the battle cry of freedom"
Cheered and encouraged by patriotic
| fathers and loving mothers, By weeping
| wives and tender children, by brave
sisters and timid. blushiDg sweethearts,
| who crowded along the highways and
by-ways TO see them pass to the battles
front. never again to return, possibly,
aud with sword and gun, on land and
sea, they fought the enemies of freedom
aud equality with a bravery and cour-
age seldom equaled and never excelled.
| They conquered, but the struggle was
long and bloody, and before the grand
triumph had been fully achieved. one
million of brave men had yielded up
their lives upon the battle field, in the
| prison pens and in the hospital They